THE ENDURING appeal of George Best was underscored last night at an auction of his personal effects, memorabilia and prints. They sold quickly, some achieving surprising prices.
The lots, the property of Best’s late father Dickie, went under the hammer with proceeds going to the executors of the Dickie Best estate. Mr Best died last April aged 88 and his east Belfast house where the footballing star was raised was put up for sale last year. It is still on the market.
For auction were 110 lots including memorabilia, autographs, personalised crystal and silverware. The Wilson’s auction house in Co Antrim was full for the occasion and staff also took telephone bids from Best fans in the US, Canada and Australia.
Items included a pencil sketch of the late star which went for £120 and a selection of other posters and portraits of Best, many of which are signed. One autographed print went for £760.
Also on offer was a host of soccer shirts worn by him and others exchanged at Northern Ireland international matches.
The “star lot”, a replica of the Champions League trophy, given by the footballer to his father, sold for £2,000.
An England shirt, swapped with Bobby Thompson in 1964 or Ray Wilson in 1965, sold for £500. A Scotland shirt, most likely worn by Willie Henderson or Willie Wallace, sold for £510.
A testimonial programme and menu from Belfast’s Europa Hotel dated 1988 and signed by Best, his former manager Matt Busby, Michael Parkinson and others, provided an early surprise and sold for £1,000.
There were also needlework football crests and a signed Manchester United pendant, photographs of Best, signed programmes, books and magazines. One testimonial print, signed by Best, sold for £580.
Some items were unique and aroused particular interest. One such lot included a badge commemorating Manchester United’s close season trip to Australia in June 1967.
Bids were also called for a framed 1,000,000th edition of the specially printed Ulster Bank £5 note depicting the soccer star which had been framed and presented to Best’s late father Dickie by the bank. It sold within three minutes for £2,300.